The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-03-15

services were begun by the choir an
congregation singing the hymn com
mencing:
Praise ye the Lord My heart shall Join
In work so pleasant so divine
Prayer by Bishop 0. F. Whitney.
Singing of the hymn,
Lord we come before Thee now.
AtThy feet we humbly bow,
ELDER ABRAHAM Fl. CANNON deemed
1t a great privilege to bear his testimony
to the truth of the gospel, YET he fell
his weakness and dependence upon the
Lord. He asked for an interest in the
faith and prayers of the Saints that he
might be dictated in what he said by the
Holy Spirit. In his reflections he had
often wondered at the marvellous work
Wnich had been accomplished in the
gatherlng together of so many of the
children of God. 1t was work, before
which the wisdom of the wise persisted
and the understanding of the prudent
was hid. He glanced at the population
OF The Territory in their thrifty condi-
ton, and saw the hand of God in their
preservation. The spirit and power OF
the Almighty had been instrumental in
performing this mighty work and
wonder. The honest in heart had been
gathered from the old world. MANY
had left homes, kindred, friends, lucra
tive positions, property-all-to gather
Tor the gospels sake. Sacrifices had
been made by many in order to come
out OF Babylon. The speaker gave
credit to no human for the great work |
accomplished in the gathering of the |
SAINTS, but ascribed it all to the lord. 1t |
was all in fulilIment of prophecy;
the ancient holy men had seen the pro
gress ana accomplishment of this mighty
work. Isaiah on one occasion said:
Fear not; for I am with thee: will bring
my seed from the east, and gather thee from
viii say to the north, Give I'D and to the
south, Keep not back: bring my sons from
far and my daughters from the ends of the
earth. Wv
In fulfllment of this prophecy, the
elders had trayersed the globe and
introduced the glad tidIngs of the gospel.
ana gathered from the various nations.
Inc growth, progress and labors of the
LaLter-day Saints were proofs of the
81 ID: '-''-
me mountain of the Lords house shall be
established In the tops of the mountains. and
snail De exalted above the hills; and all
natlons shall flow un o it.
ana mauv people shall go and say, Come.
ye, and let us go ~ to the mountain of the
Lord. to the house of the God of Jacob: and
ne will teach us of his ways and we will !
walk IN His paths: for cut of Zion shall 90
Iorth the law, and the word of the Lord from -
Jerusalem,
The mountain of the Lords house has
been established here, through much
'acrlhce, and with still greater sacrifices
It would be maintained. The magnitude
u THIS great work could not have been
oreseen by any who had originally been
Engaged in the establishment of the
;hurch, except by the aid OF God. Joseph
smiths early career il receiving author
" from God to establish the true church
Vas briefly scanned by Elder Cannon the C.,
'rganlzlng OF the church with SIX St
MEMBERS; the growth in members and
trength; the spread of the PRINCIPLES in n
ne eastern States; how temples were r
ullt IN various places; the settlements
7hich grew up IN several States, none
i which was designated for the build
ng up OF the New Jerusalem, where
emple to the Most High will be built Hs
lto which the Almighty can enter and
lake known His mind and Will. The on !
entire stake, the preacher said. had ms ms
cen settled upon In Jackson ConntV -
iissouri. The drivings of the Saints SCI
'ere briefly spoken of; the persecutIo
nd su1erIngs which the Saints had
ndergone for righteousness sake had
9peatedly proven blessings in disguise.
helr WanderlngS 10 the west, and their ~
rival IN the Valley of the Great Salt :
axe, which presented a forbidGing
sste, were spoken of in ELOQUENT =
rms, their deliYerances from the
tickets, the locusts aud drouth: the a
eSsing Of he soil and the breaking out -
water, by means of which the crops
I'D been made to grow. These he said u
ere some of the miraculous manifesto 4
ons OF the power of heaven in the pei
.therIng and building up of the COM tire
unity of Latter-day Saints. sp'
1t had been asked by the world. WHY tilt
the Saints were Gods chosen peopia Sc
d He permit evil men to rule anon W
EN-? Why did He not deliver them N
by did He allow their elders to he
lpIisoned, and their missionaries to be =
etc? How was it with Christ -
Id His disciples? He was reyiled. suit II
Jon, maltreated and finally cruc fed. ~S
I'd when on the cross, He was tainted
r the scoferS with: IF thou ne the
n of God, come down from the cross
d We will believe thee" Had He ~
eded those revilings and come down I
I'm the cross, the world would have
en- without Redeemer. Even while
fering, He cried out, MY God. NV
ID, why hast Thou forsaken me?'' La
It He knew it was according to the
IN agreed upon before the foundation
the world that He should suffer and
:. Why did the Lord permit Cain to
V Abel? Game was given his agency. seek
d while in the exercise of that agency
slew Abel and committed murder.
There had been no driving, no suffer-
:, no imprisonment of Latter. dav -
Ints, but had eventually been fruitful
good. Nothing has helped on the
rk of salvation like persecution. Then
y should the Saints murmur and
nplain? Is not God all justice, al
rcy, all goodness? No one. had sui EN
ed more than he could sIaTld. God I'VE
aid not try anyone more, even unto
ith, than the Individual could bear.
5 Spirit is not Withdrawn, and it NEI
MID nC mfort those who Uaro foi+bF,I NIL